Fever Dream ~ Neymar Jr

Chapter 58

2015

The next day, after Neymar returned from practice it was time to have that conversation. I had asked Chris if there was any obligatory appearance on Neymar's schedule but he said there was nothing and they'd probably play poker. I told him not to count Neymar in for that, as he and I would go on a date instead.

"Sure." He said, but the way he said, it was as if he believed it wasn't going to happen.

When Neymar returned home from practice, the whole Toiss, dressed to go out, stood up from the living room which they had occupied for the last hour and started walked towards the door. It seemed they had waited to make a grand exit; the moment Neymar came back from practice.

"Where are you going?" Neymar asked, seeing them walk out.

"Dinner and then out to Moscow." Gil said, referring to one of the hottest clubs of Barcelona. Neymar Sr who was reading a book in the living room, looked up.

"Okay wait for us." Neymar said, pointing at him and me.

"Didn't your girl tell you mate? You aren't going." Chris said, laughing before he followed the others out.

"What is he talking about?" Neymar asked me. Damn, Chris was good.

"I told him we'd go on a date. Just the two of us. It's been a while."

"You don't want to go with the guys? It will be fun." Neymar said.

"Acho que você deveria prestar atenção à sua namorada. Porque você tem sorte de tê-la." Neymar Sr said standing up and left the room. *

Neymar looked between me and the door his father walked out from, before walking out of the house and saying something to Chris who was waiting by the car. Chris shrugged and joined the others and they all left.

"Date it is." Neymar said. "Where are we going?"

"Well, I haven't booked anything... But we can find someplace. Or order in?" I offered.

"So, we didn't go with my friends to stay at home and order in? Is Chris right? You don't like them?" Neymar asked me. Great. So, while I was trying to keep the peace between us, Chris was going behind my back and speaking to Neymar about me.

"Of course, I like them." I said, walking towards the kitchen. "Well, some more than others."

"What does that mean?" Neymar asked, following me in the kitchen.

"It means that Chris doesn't like me either and he's not really giving me much to like." I told Neymar. "Look, I just wanted to spend some time alone with you. But if you prefer to go out with your friends, call them. I'm sure they won't mind coming back for you."

Neymar approached me and took my hands in his. "Of course, I want to spend time with you alone." He told me. "I wish you'd get along better with my friends though."

"I like Gil." I offered.

Neymar chuckled. "Just Gil?"

"Fine. João and Jô too."

"But not Chris?"

"I wish he didn't make me feel like I needed to book an appointment and have it approved by him to spend some time with you." I told Neymar.

"Babe! Why would you feel like that?"

"Because things aren't like they were when I first moved in..." I said, putting my hand on his cheek, our eyes locked. "And I can't—" I started saying. "It's crazy, the way you live right now. It's not sustainable. These guys, they don't have a responsibility to a team, they don't have millions of euros riding on them. It doesn't cost them anything to stay up all night playing poker. But it costs you."